Well, the weather was not the best in the morning, but right in time the sun was nicely enough to come around. She stayed with us through the whole hash, which came to its end not until 11.00 am the day after.

Before we even started to run every hasher got a personal goodie bag of Doubledecker. With help of its ingredients everyone turned out as a pirate, even the dogs did quite a job. All pirates are equal, but some (like John Cleese, Horny Tail or Ingrid Larsson) are more equal and became Hula Girls and confused the dogs and Sir Clever Dick. Who will (or can) forget John Cleese’s bops?!

We started right in time about half an hour late. V.D.Wiking had worked out a quiz which turned out harder than the marks of the trail. Or I thought… after about 100m the whole group had troubles to find the trail which happened to be in the water. Still some brave hashers (among them a dog) followed the marks through the tunnel under the bridge. After that only some running had to be done before the first drink stop. Unfortunately the hare had forgotten the mugs, which was a perfect opportunity for V.D and his questions. With the mugs arrived even some thirsty wasps, therefore we just continued running. All the FRBs had to do a major number check back and a bloody fishy hook which turned out harder than planned, because one of the walkers had decided to go back to the OnInn. And they were running and running and running…

At the third and last drink stop some brave pirates took of (some) of their clothes and jumped into the water. Looking for a pirate’s flag they got to another bridge and searched for a treasure. The treasure was hidden under water… but by the time of our arrival it was gone! Both Mad Swede and Big Tasty had no idea what could had happened. But thanks to a hasher with sharp eyes we got the treasure chest in the end and enjoyed some cold beer. Best treasure ever!

The circle took almost an hour: special welcomes to the Ludvika hashers, some anniversary down downs, the winners of V.D.’s quiz and not to forget the best HULA GIRL John Cleese and the best pirate Quicitita. While her dad took the down down the rest of the group was busy comparing her with a hasher called Pipi Longcooking, the only hasher with a pirate in the family.

The heroes of the night were Mad Swede (who prepared the food while 25 hashers shared one shower) and Sugar Cane (preparing the ice), while the rest of the hashers was busy drinking or fighting and ignoring the wasps and mosquitoes. Big Tasty was worried about her neighbors. But why worry; they all had left the island when they had seen the first sign of the hash…

The summary of the night:

·Some hashers decided to go to Ludvika the day after for to join the hash there.

·Some hashers had too much beer (Sorry, is it possible or was it too much Pina Colada?!)

·Drag Queen is snoring.

·One hasher became a little bit older.

·John Cleese decided to wear another bra on the next hash, because he got some blisters of his coconut bra.

I will never understand how a hasher after a night like that can go up early in the morning. I just had fallen asleep, so why was somebody asking me about the coffeemaker? After a nice, cold bath in the sea I was ready for questions like that (and the coffee). Some minutes later every hasher had understood that Big Tasty likes Vana Tallinn, the Estonian version of beer, isn’t it?

ONCE UPON A TIME IN VÄSTMANLANDWrite-up of Westra Aros Gurka Hash run No. 92. December 14, 2013Go to Västmanland, they told us, go to Västmanland where the wild Gherkins roam the plains in their millions and where Hashers freely enjoy runs without the oppressive rules of the Stockholm GMs and where they only fear one person, Mad Swede, the law west of Enköping. So me and Ingrid decided to go there in search of Beer, Libido and the pursuit of Hashiness.Saturday morning came, and with that the drizzle, and then the snow and then drizzle and so on. Joined by sirs Clever Dick and Malibog for the trip west we had a cosy ride, warm inside our car while the drizzle and snow continued to alternate outside. In Västerås it was time to decide on clothing, but for sure it wasn't shorts-and-tees rather the opposite. At the bus top Minus Ten (with tinsels in his hair), Double Decker and Mad Swede met up and the bus (with a driver in a fittingly seasonal Santa's hat) set off towards parts unknown. This turned out to be Framnäs, in east Västerås, and pretty close to Mad Swede's old haunts of Viksäng, were we met up with the hare Handjob and Västerås Hasher Mike. The drizzle had by now turned into a solid wall of freezing cold mist making it difficult to see the markings because our eye lashes froze together.The usual merry go round followed in the sleet, getting our feet wet and our fingers numb before a welcome beer stop at the top of Himmelsbacken (I guess it's one of the highest natural points of Västerås), before most of us took the safe route down the back of the hill instead of following the trail down a very slippery slope. Handjob took his leave but should be happy with his Haring effort. After a short trail we were once again back on a bus, back towards the town centre, but were tricked by a mere bus change instead of a run. The next bus was very warm and had thick soft seats, and I for one could have stayed on board a lot longer than we did. This next part of the run was hared by Mad Swede himself, so plenty of checks and the added difficulty of having snow laying on top of the markings. This made it more fun for us slower Hashers as even we had to check out the checks, and to be FRBs at least for a few minutes. Of course it was also getting darker and darker by the minute, not making it any easier, not even with a flash light. But in the end we reached the final drink and bus stop, and while waiting for the bus we had some very welcome warm glögg and some of Double Deckers home made ginger bread Hash feet. Here Mike said good-bye and took a short jog home and warmth.A quick trip back to the central station for the circle. Finding a place both out of the rain and the wind took a little while, but in the end down-downs were handed out and songs were sung. Ingrid and I received our 40 run Cowboy hats, Mad Swede got a down-down for being the Hare, Sir Clever Dick for his Hare Krishna outfit (He claims it was a Lucia outfit, but he couldn't fool the gathered Hashers). In the end we all got a down-down to finish of the beer and to be able to get back into our warm car. Thanks to Lady Red Horse Sir Malibog even had dry socks to put on. Full heat on in the car and with tingling fingers, toes and ears we set off back towards civilisation. Quite uneventful, only broken by one very important stop, for which Sir Malibog was extremely grateful.We had tasted freedom for a day, and were contented to go back home. Until next time.ON-ON, ON-OVER and ON-OUTV.D.Viking

Run # 93

THE WHITE WEST HASH

write up of WAG Hash run #93

I'm dreaming of a white Hash run,

in the town of Västerås,

with mad swede trails,

and warm glögg stops,

and a pizzeria at the end.

Winter had finally arrived to our parts of Sweden, just in time for a WAG. In fact, perfectly timed to cover Mad Swede's trail so that he had to lay it all over again. Being smarter than the average Hasher he even used green coloured sticks to mark checks and red ones for the on-trails.

Fourteen Hashers, including one Happy Meal and two Virgins, showed up outside La Perla. It was cold but not absolutely freezing and we were all in a good mood and ready for Mad Swede to do his worst, which he did, or perhaps not as it was a good trail with plenty of forest and trees for marking the trail, and roots for Happy Meal's pram to get stuck on. And checks, did I mention the checks. One check after the other, going on forever. But that's what we like!

After chalk talk we set of, quickly splitting into the two usual groups, runners and walkers, but thanks to Mad Swede's trail skills the latter usually caught a glimpse of the preceding at times and thus could take several well needed short cuts. In the end we reached the drink stop not to far apart and enjoyed some warm drink (or cold beer if that was your fancy, or both) and some nibbles. Since we hadn't lost any of the Virgins yet, we then set out on the second part of the run, trying to do better. And no sightings of gherkins yet, not a single hoof print or tuft of hair. They must've gone into hibernation.

With the wind catching up everyone was happy to see the end coming nigh, but of course we had to hold a circle first. Big Tasty was back in form, and with some help from Mad Swede, handed out down-downs to all and sundry. Veteran Asia Campaigner Standing Ovation, pointed out that marking the trail with red tipped sticks had him recall his tour in Cambodia were a red stick meant your were standing in the middle of a mine field, “Red is dead!” as the saying goes. Marmite and Termite were welcomed back after a long time away and Handjob got a delayed birthday gift. Virgin Linda's answer to the question “Who made you come?” was “Handjob”, much to the circle's delight.

Since Happy Meal was about to become Grumpy Meal the circle was closed before anything important was frozen off, and it was time for food and drinks in the very welcoming warmth of La Perla. SNOW!, I tells ya, I hates it! But it does lighten things up a bit. Especially if it's yellow.